After ABC announced in an statement to Entertainment Weekly last week that the comedy will be ending after its upcoming ninth season, the series’ creators are opening up about why they are wrapping up the show.

Speaking to reporters at the 2017 Television Critics Association summer press tour last week, The Middle executive producer Eileen Heisler explained that the decision to end the show was not made haphazardly — rather, it was discussed with the entire cast and crew.

“The decision for us to end the show was a personal decision,” Eileen Heisler told reporters via TV Guide. “We had all talked together as creators and cast. I kind of feel like that moment for us when we felt it was time was wanting to leave when people still wanted more of it rather than staying so long that people go, ‘Whatever, why did they stay for so long?'”

The Middle follows the lives of the Heck family, who live in the middle of nowhere aka the fictional town of Orson, Indiana. Although we are sad to see the Hecks go — the family is made up of Mike Heck (Neil Flynn), Frankie Heck (Patricia Heaton), Axl Heck (Charlie McDermott), Sue Heck (Eden Sher), and Brick Heck (Atticus Shaffer) — the creators’ reasoning for ending after nine seasons is something we can support.

“Everything is seen through the prism that this is our last season. The first episode we’re acknowledging and talking about what is the Heck’s legacy,” co-creator Deann Heline further explained about the show’s final season.

By ending on their own terms, the show’s creators also revealed that they got to choose who to bring back and give fans an ending they could be happy with.

“That’s why we wanted to go out on our own terms in this last season. So, when we bring some of our great characters back like Reverend Tim-Tom and all of that, we really want to make sure everyone is having a special episode,” Heline continued. “It’s not like it’s going to be something crazy and different. It’s still going to be the show that you love but I think that it will have extra meaning for fans that love the show.”

Although we’d love to see more from the Heck family and their wild, crazy, and completely unorganized household for years to come, leaving on a high note is a good call.

The Middle begins its ninth and final season on October 3, 2017 at 8 p.m. on ABC.